Gold deposits and discoveries in Australia

This map, courtesy of Geoscience Australia, shows the known gold deposits in Australia. The map is colour coded, with the more intense red colour indicating higher degrees of mineralisation. The map also shows geological rock units with potential gold mineralisation - these are the grey areas with very fine horizontal lines. A more detailed map is available from Geoscience Australia for purchase.

The locations of early gold discoveries are clear from the map, including the massive Kalgoorlie - Boulder and Coolgardie areas in WA, Charters Towers and Gympie in Queensland, Bathurst in NSW, and Ballarat and Bendigo in Victoria. Payable gold was first discovered in Australia in 1851 by Edward Hammond Hargraves at Ophir, near Bathurst in New South Wales, and the Australian gold rush started. Gold was found 6 months later in Ballarat in Victoria, then Bendigo, and eventually in all states and territories of Australia.